Romanian gypsy children become engaged aged six and four
A six-year-old boy and a four-year-old girl have become engaged to be married after a gypsy ceremony.
Victor Caldararu's grandfather and great uncle arranged the union with Maria Caldararu in the Sibiu region of Transylvania, Romania.
The children are Caldarari gypsies, who regularly become engaged and married while very young.
Every Caldarari has the surname Caldararu which means tin or coppersmith. Male Caldarari make their money from forging buckets, kettles, pots and boilers for distilling alcohol while the women are stay at home and look after the children.
While the tradition of childhood engagements is not illegal, it is mostly frowned upon in mainstream Romanian society.
The engagement ensures Victor and Maria remain in the Caldarari community and thousands of pounds exchanged hands between the families to confirm the deal.
Victor's great uncle Traian Caldararu, 47, said: "The arrangement and the celebration resemble a wedding.
"The difference is that we don't have a priest to bless the alliance. We spent 10,000 Lei (£2,286) for the event and all the Caldarari gypsies were present. They will marry by law as soon as Maria turns 16."
Once marriage arrangements are made it is very difficult for children to break the deal and choose another partner.
If a child decides to marry someone else then his or her family must pay back three times the dowry, accounting for inflation and banking interest rates.
"This outcome is very rare," said Traian, who mediates many marriages in the community. "Children are required to marry by their family. It is not really a child's choice."
Victor's family coughed up 50,000 Lei (£11,429) for Maria's hand, so if he changes his mind he'll financially cripple his father, Victor Caldarau, 26.
A split would also be considered a great dishonour for Maria who would have severe difficulty finding a new husband and could risk being outcast completely.
Traian said: "In our community girls are not disobeying. We don't let them out of the house and we don't let them go to school after fourth grade, they might get stolen away from us.
"We make sure that we give kids away to one of our lot, just like any other parent would do."
Victor and Maria have been raised together in the community and while they appear to enjoy playing together they're too young to understand their commitments.
Traian said: "The children didn't even know what was going on at the engagement ceremony. They thought it was just a usual party in the courtyard. Later they will be told and they will marry at 16 and 18-years-old."
In the Caldarari marriages are sometimes arranged before the child is even born.
Traian said: "My niece got engaged before the age of six to our friend's unborn child. Now the boy is 12 and our girl is 18. When the boy turns 16 he will marry her according to the deal."
Romania has the largest proportion of Gypsy people in the world. It's estimated that two million people or 5-10% of the population are Roma.
Romania joined the EU in 2007 but many gypsy customs are outside of EU regulations working on hundreds of years of tradition and ritual.
Victor Caldararu's grandfather and great uncle arranged the union with Maria Caldararu in the Sibiu region of Transylvania, Romania.
The children are Caldarari gypsies, who regularly become engaged and married while very young.
Every Caldarari has the surname Caldararu which means tin or coppersmith. Male Caldarari make their money from forging buckets, kettles, pots and boilers for distilling alcohol while the women are stay at home and look after the children.
While the tradition of childhood engagements is not illegal, it is mostly frowned upon in mainstream Romanian society.
The engagement ensures Victor and Maria remain in the Caldarari community and thousands of pounds exchanged hands between the families to confirm the deal.
Victor's great uncle Traian Caldararu, 47, said: "The arrangement and the celebration resemble a wedding.
"The difference is that we don't have a priest to bless the alliance. We spent 10,000 Lei (£2,286) for the event and all the Caldarari gypsies were present. They will marry by law as soon as Maria turns 16."
Once marriage arrangements are made it is very difficult for children to break the deal and choose another partner.
If a child decides to marry someone else then his or her family must pay back three times the dowry, accounting for inflation and banking interest rates.
"This outcome is very rare," said Traian, who mediates many marriages in the community. "Children are required to marry by their family. It is not really a child's choice."
Victor's family coughed up 50,000 Lei (£11,429) for Maria's hand, so if he changes his mind he'll financially cripple his father, Victor Caldarau, 26.
A split would also be considered a great dishonour for Maria who would have severe difficulty finding a new husband and could risk being outcast completely.
Traian said: "In our community girls are not disobeying. We don't let them out of the house and we don't let them go to school after fourth grade, they might get stolen away from us.
"We make sure that we give kids away to one of our lot, just like any other parent would do."
Victor and Maria have been raised together in the community and while they appear to enjoy playing together they're too young to understand their commitments.
Traian said: "The children didn't even know what was going on at the engagement ceremony. They thought it was just a usual party in the courtyard. Later they will be told and they will marry at 16 and 18-years-old."
In the Caldarari marriages are sometimes arranged before the child is even born.
Traian said: "My niece got engaged before the age of six to our friend's unborn child. Now the boy is 12 and our girl is 18. When the boy turns 16 he will marry her according to the deal."
Romania has the largest proportion of Gypsy people in the world. It's estimated that two million people or 5-10% of the population are Roma.
Romania joined the EU in 2007 but many gypsy customs are outside of EU regulations working on hundreds of years of tradition and ritual.
Labels: Caldarari gypsies, Engagement, Gypsy Children, Gypsy Family, Gypsy Marriage
posted by Allie @ 8:35 AM
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